


pardon the way i stare (you're too good to be true)

by chasingflower



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Fluff, Gen, Humor, M/M, POV Alternating, i saw this au ages ago but of course i cant find the inspo when i need it most
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 12:31:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14164902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingflower/pseuds/chasingflower
Summary: Bitty isn’t quite sure what he’s done to deserve this. The first time he noticed pictures in his library that weren’t his, he went to Dex – but Dex told him that it didn’t look like his phone was being hacked, only a glitch with his iCloud or something along those lines. Dex said he could even delete the pictures if they really bothered him, but Bitty hasn’t done that (and he doesn’t believe that he will).But. Back on topic. Bitty looks at his phone now, and he feels like someone is laughing at him, as he now as seven or so pictures of the most attractive guy that Bitty’s ever seen.He doesn’t really know if he can handle this. Because, see, the guy whose picture is now on his phone is hot. Like, massively, incredibly attractive.(or: The AU where somehow, Bitty ends up with Jack's photos on his phone, and vice versa)





	pardon the way i stare (you're too good to be true)

**Author's Note:**

> hey everyone!! before u read, here's a little background: jack is with the falcs & never went to samwell, he's friends with shitty, lardo and ransom  
> bitty is at samwell and is friends with holster and the frogs
> 
> hope u enjoy!! <3 <3 <3  
> title from can't take my eyes off of you by frankie valli

Jack doesn’t know that it’s happening, is the thing. He’s not the most tech-savvy guy around (anyone will tell you this. Shitty would sell him out in a second), but he takes enough pictures that he should have been more attune to the increase in photos on his phone.

But Jack’s kind of an idiot. So.

He’s looking on his phone for a picture of Tater to show Ransom (“can u like. not do that jack.” “do what”) when he notices that his library goes from pictures of geese to pictures of fancy lattes Jack doesn’t remember drinking and selfies of a blond guy that Jack’s never seen in his life.

He taps on one of the selfies.

The guy is smiling at the camera, eyes bright and smile wide, and Jack feels his heart stutter for a second. He’s never been one to really experience immediate attraction to anyone, so the fact that it occurs because of some stranger’s selfies on his phone really does sum up how his life is going. The guy is blond – very blond, and he thinks he sees a cowlick in the back, but he can’t be positive – and his eyes are a warm brown. Jack swallows.

Instead of deleting the photos like he knows he logically should, he leaves them where they are. It doesn’t hurt anyone, right?

++

As a matter of fact, it does end up hurting someone. It hurts _him_ when Shitty finds out.

“Jack!” he shouts loudly, and Jack turns to see the lightly manic look on his friend’s face.

He gives him a look in return. “Yeah, Shits?”

The grin Shitty gives him is, in no other way to say it, shit-eating: “Who’s the guy?”

++

“It’s nothing, honest. I have no idea who it is.” Jack says, and he wonders why he feels guilty. He shouldn’t feel guilty, it’s not _his_ fault that this guy’s selfies and pictures of pies are on in his photo library.

Shitty looks over the side of the couch and raises an eyebrow.

Jack twitches and bites his lip. “I think there’s a problem with my phone? I keep getting his pictures on my phone.”

Shitty grins up at him. “Do you think it works both ways?”

And. Jack hasn’t even though of that possibility – he immediately tries to recall what pictures he’s been taking; nothing super obvious, he knows, (thank _God_ ) because while he takes pictures of the rink he’s more likely to take pictures of things on his run. Shitty ends up dragging him, anyway, and asks:

“How many fucking geese photos have you taken, Jack?”

++

Jack gets a text from Lardo the next day.

_tell me everything about this guy_

_i’ll sick rans on you_

Jack laughs.

**I’ve never talked to him. I know he likes coffee and pies.**

He waits a few minutes for the response.

_send me a pic pls_

Jack rolls his eyes. He does send her one of the newer selfies – does this guy ever stop? – but asks her not to send it to anyone else.

_Damn_

Jack gets the feeling.

++

Jack blinks at her. “What do you mean, you’re going to take pictures of me?”

Lardo rolls her eyes. “Jack. On the off chance that he’s actually getting your pictures too, let’s send him some of you. You’re hot stuff, Jack, let’s get to it.”

He hesitates. “Won’t it be suspicious when he gets selfies from some hockey player, though?”

Shitty scoffs. “Some hockey player. Jack, my guy, you’re going to kill me.”

++

Bitty isn’t quite sure what he’s done to deserve this. The first time he noticed pictures in his library that weren’t his, he went to Dex – but Dex told him that it didn’t look like his phone was being hacked, only a glitch with his iCloud or something along those lines. Dex said he could even delete the pictures if they really bothered him, but Bitty hasn’t done that (and he doesn’t believe that he will).

But. Back on topic. Bitty looks at his phone now, and he feels like someone is laughing at him, as he now as seven or so pictures (because they aren’t selfies, they look like they’re posed – maybe for his Instagram?) of the most attractive guy that Bitty’s ever seen.

He doesn’t really know if he can handle this. Because, see, the guy whose picture is now on his phone is _hot_. Like, massively, incredibly attractive.

++

He gets caught. He looks at one of them later, looking at his ice blue eyes and dark hair and sharp jaw (This is… incredibly unfair, Bitty thinks to himself), and Holster takes a glance at him before saying, quite loudly, “Who’s pic is that, Bitty?”

Bitty shrieks and covers the screen. He turns to Holster, looking up at him in exasperation. “Holster! Don’t do that!”

Holster doesn’t look chastised; if anything, he looks more intrigued at the whole situation. “Bitty. What the fuck was that.”

He purses his lips and shakes his head. “It’s nothing. Mine your own business.”

Holster, of course, does the opposite, and ends up with his phone.

“Hey – Holster! Give it back!” Bitty says, exasperated, and he stands on his toes to try and grab his phone back.

Problem: Holster is very tall, (Bitty is, unfortunately, _not_ ) and seems to be very insistent on doing exactly what bitty doesn’t want him to do. So the phone is held high, and Holster looks at the photo with a smug smirk.

“Chill, Bitty, it’s not that bad. We’re bros, man! Ease up a little,” he says, sounding amused. “What are you even worried about?” He gives a little laugh as he looks at the photo, then back at Bitty.

Bitty bites his lip and refuses to be embarrassed – he’s done nothing wrong, _Holster_ , shut up and wipe that grin off your face –

“I didn’t know you had a _crush_ , Bitty!” is what Holster ends up saying, and he seems not quite maniacal, but more animated than Bitty feels comfortable, especially with him still holding his phone. God knows what he’d be capable of.

“Holster-” Bitty interrupts and reaches again for his phone. He’s thinking of kicking him in the shin when Holster starts up again.

“Damn, Jack’s a good choice too.”

And. Bitty’s struggling stops, and he turns to him with a suspicious look. “Jack?”

Holster blinks. “Yeah, Jack. Jack Zimmermann.”

Bitty must be giving him some kind of look, because he continues, sounding bemused. “Bitty. Jack Zimmermann. The NHL player on your goddamn phone.”

Bitty opens his mouth. Closes it. “Oh. I knew that.”

++

Jack thinks that it’s almost fitting that they end up meeting at a game.  Granted, the tail end of the game, but at a game nonetheless.

He’d checked his phone before the game, to see if there was anything new – he did this now, he’ll admit to it – and saw a number of selfies, group ones, in –

In Falc’s jerseys. So.

Jack was expecting him to be here, and it seemed like he was expecting him to be here.

This didn’t get him as worried as it probably should have, and this was pleasantly surprising. He didn’t need any more anxiety – he had enough as it was – but it was nice that this didn’t cause any.

He did go out of his way to ask one of the security members to let the guy into the locker room after the game (this was awkward, but his reputation of being awkward saved him from having to explain anymore than he needed. He just showed the picture and asked).

++

“Excuse me, sir?”

Bitty turns immediately to the voice, startled. He starts to stand, already apologizing, “Yes? I’m sorry – ”

The woman shakes her head. “Oh, no, you’re fine. Jack Zimmermann asked for you?”

And that is, quite honestly, the last thing Bitty was expecting. He hears a holler from Holster, and some high-fiving of the frogs, but he ignores them and smiles at the woman. “He did?”

She nods. “I can take you back there now if you’re ready –”

“He’s ready! By Bitty!” Holster says, loudly, and Bitty does, sometimes, hate his friends.

Bitty gives her another smile. “Ready. Thank you, by the way.”

She grins. “Just doing my job.”

++

So Bitty finds himself standing and waiting outside the locker room, feeling like he’s going to vomit and telling himself to calm down. He bites his lip and fiddles with his phone, looking absentmindedly through his twitter feed but feeling too anxious to tweet anything himself. But as nervous as he is, his attention is caught the instant the doors open. Bitty feels his stomach drop to his feet – he tells himself again that he’s done _nothing_ wrong, he’s meeting the team, that’s exciting, right? – and he’s soon face to face with the head of the franchise, Jack Zimmermann.

Bitty swallows and shoves his phone in his pocket. He stands straighter and smiles at him, and says as cheerfully as he can manage, “Oh, hi there! I’m Bitty, you played a great game!”

Bitty watches as Jack smiles and ducks his head a little. He shakes his head slightly and turns to face Bitty with a smile of his own. It looks almost nervous, and Bitty feels a little taken aback; what could possibly be making him feel nervous?

“Haha, thanks,” Jack says, and he sounds a little stilted. He opens his mouth to continue, and says, “We did try our best.” He licks his lips and looks back at Bitty. “Sorry, if this is weird, but I noticed you at the game and my friends would have never let it go?” and here, he sounds less stilted and awkward, but also slightly self-deprecating.

Bitty can’t have this. “Oh, I’m sure whatever it is it’s fine,” and he hopes he’s right, but god, he really doesn’t know what’s happening. “Gosh, if your friends are even remotely similar to what mine are like, I’m sure I sympathize with you.”

This gets another smile from Jack, and Bitty is blown away by how good he looks (a thought that, while no less true, is _completely_ inappropriate for the situation, why does he do this) even after a hockey game. He’s still in his jersey, which means he was either eager to come talk to him (Bitty nearly scoffs at himself for even thinking of this option, what in the world) or the security guard that came to collect him told him he was here. Or something else, he doesn’t really know.

Jack gives a little laugh, and Bitty is struck dumb again by, well, everything that is Jack Zimmermann. “Yeah, my friends are a lot to handle. But, um,” and while he started strong, he sounds a little nervous again. He rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, but I think I’ve been getting your photos?” Bitty watches as he flushes, “You take a lot of selfies, eh?”

Bitty flushes himself. “Oh,” he starts, but he doesn’t know how to continue. He bites his lip. “I wasn’t aware that it was going both ways?” he responds, and it sounds more like a question than he was intending it to be. As it is, Jack responds with a small smile.

“Yeah. Both ways, I guess. I’m not too sure how it happened,” he says, and Bitty shakes his head.

“My friend, Dex, says it’s probably due to some problem with the Cloud, but even then, he’s not too sure,” Bitty answers. He tries not to feel too mortified that Jack Zimmermann has been receiving not just the pictures he takes of his pies, but all of the good and bad selfies he’s taken in the last few months. He tries to cover this up and says, “I was wondering why were there suddenly so many pictures of geese on my phone,” and Jack actually laughs.

“Sorry about that,” he begins, and Bitty’s starting to say not to worry when his phone vibrates, once, twice, and a third time. Jack laughs again while Bitty rolls his eyes and reaches for his phone.  

_bitty PLEASE it’s been 20 minutes did the team kill you_

_chowder wants to know if you’re coming back with us or if he can steal the front seat_

_bitty my man did u die_

Bitty rolls his eyes again. “Sorry, it’s just my friends. They want to know when I’m heading back out,” he says, looking back up at Jack, smile still in place.

Jack gives him a look that Bitty isn’t quite sure how to place. “Oh, sorry. I don’t mean to keep you-”

“Oh, no, you’re fine!” Bitty interrupts, shaking his head. “They’re fine. Being dramatic, and they’re very good at it. Don’t mind them at all, I can have them wait five more minutes for me, don’t you worry,” Bitty hurries to explain.

Jack nods and looks slightly more appeased. The faintly nervous look has returned, which is odd, and Bitty’s about to question it when Jack asks, “I – um. I want to keep talking to you. I know you have to go,” he rushes to explain, but continues speaking more slowly. “But I was wondering if I could text you? I know I’m not the best at texting, but –” Jack cuts himself off, and it seems that he’s said what he could.

Bitty, on the other hand, can’t quite believe that this is where his evening has led him. He looks to Jack with wide eyes, and says, “Of course, Jack, I’d love to stay in touch!” And he gives Jack a large smile to try to make Jack feel less awkward about stumbling through the request. He hands his phone to Jack, and (which, wow) watches as he adds his contact.

“I’ll have you know, I’m great at texting,” Bitty says as Jack programs his number into his phone (When did this become his life? When?). Jack laughs slightly and Bitty tries not to preen under the attention. Jack hands the phone back with a small smile, and Bitty takes it back with a smile of his own.

“Sorry, I should let you get back now.”

Bitty shakes his head, “Oh, it’s no big deal. I’ll text Holster that I’ll be out in a tick, don’t you worry.” He gives him another grin. “It was nice to see the face behind the photos,” he says, and Jack grins himself.

“Didn’t you see the ones of me?” He says, and it sounds like he’s Joking (also: Bitty most definitely did see these pictures, thank you very much). Bitty’s grin gets wider.

“You know what I mean, Mr. Zimmermann. In any case, pass on my compliments to the photographer,” Bitty says lightly, and oh my god, is he flirting?

Jack doesn’t seem to notice – or mind, if he had noticed – and continues to smile at him.

Bitty’s phone beeps at him again, and Jack laughs. “Sorry, sorry, I’ll let you go,” he says, but the mood is still light.

Bitty’s still smiling, and he nods at him. “I guess you’re right. I’ll text you?” he says, and watches with satisfaction as Jack nods in agreement. “Okay. Thanks, Jack, for getting me,” he says, and it’s a loaded statement, but Jack doesn’t seem to mind. If anything, his smile seems to get wider.

“Not a problem.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading!! my tumblr is @blushingbittys


End file.
